


running from running

by kryptonianmenace



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Identity Reveal, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:14:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28726440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kryptonianmenace/pseuds/kryptonianmenace
Summary: "teenage dreams in a teenage circusrunning around like a clown on purposewho gives damn about the family you come fromno giving up when you're young and you want some"---There's an Almyran delegation at the monastery and Khalid does not trust them one bit. The only way to keep them in line is to reveal himself, but that puts a target on his back. Who better to protect him than a Goneril? You know, the family that fights Almyrans? It'll be fine.
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Kudos: 6





	1. surprise bitch, bet you thought you'd seen the last of me

**Author's Note:**

> Title and summary from We Are Golden by MIKA.  
> This is haphazardly written with no plan and no beta. It's fine. This isn't going to end poorly. Probably.  
> Is this slightly out of character? Perhaps. Do I care? Not really.  
> Tell me if you spot the DC comics reference. (What? kryptonianmenace is a DC comics fan? Who knew?)

Hilda was bored. Which, okay, she was often bored. That was pretty typical for her.

However, it wasn’t often that she was called into a meeting with Lady Rhea and an Almyran delegation, of all things.

Which, look, she can be civil, but she was wary. When her brother had contacted her about the meeting, saying he had only approved it on the condition that she stand in on the meeting for the Goneril house, she had lost her mind. Claude had had to calm her down as she ranted angrily about all the dangers of allowing Almyrans so far into the country.

But Claude was Claude and would not let her lose her head over a civil meeting. He had reminded her that peace was better than fighting, and you can’t have peace if you ignore the attempts to reach out.

Which, fair.

But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t now bored as the Almyran delegation settled into the room where she stood with Lady Rhea, Seteth, Catherine, and Captain Jeralt.

No one had spoken yet, but just as Rhea opened her mouth to greet their guests, the door slammed open.

And in burst Claude.

Claude, who had lectured  _ her _ about not messing up the meeting.

That hypocritical  _ ass. _

Said ass was now speaking rapid fire in, what Hilda realized in shock, Almyran. The leader of the delegation - a minor prince, if Hilda remembered the details from her brother correctly - looked stricken.

And then Claude switched to Fodlani. “Lady Rhea, why didn’t you tell me Hatim was visiting?”

Hilda’s mind was racing. How did he know Almyran? How did he know  _ Hatim? _

“Claude, this is hardly appropriate,” Lady Rhea said with a deep frown. Next to her, Seteth looked just about ready to combust at Claude’s behavior. Catherine looked disapproving while Captain Jeralt was considering. Hilda, herself, was just confused.

Hatim and many of the other Almyran delegates mouthed Claude’s name in confusion.

“I’m sorry, I was just so excited to greet my cousin,” Claude said, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully, and Hilda’s mind shorted out.

“Your cousin? I wasn’t aware you were Almyran,” she heard herself say, surprisingly clearly, and Claude had the gall to look embarrassed.

“Well, yes, I realize I forgot to tell you,” he said with a polite smile. “Claude von Reigan is just my Fodlani name. I am also Khalid al Ghul, son of King Rashad al Ghul.” He bowed as he introduced himself, an Almyran bow, not the traditional bow of the Leicester Alliance.

If Hilda wasn’t already bad off, she was now trying not to choke on air.

“Why did you not tell us sooner?” Seteth asked, recovering from his shock and confusion first.

Claude gave a sheepish grin and shrugged. “I didn’t want it to be a big deal.”

“And yet, you thought barging in on this meeting was not a big deal?” Hatim asked.

Claude quipped something in Almyran with a smirk and Hatim sighed.


	2. what do you MEAN I can't go to my room and scream into my pillow?

“Hilda, wait up, I wanna talk to you!” Claude called out as he was finishing up with his cousin.

His cousin! An Almyran prince! Both of them!

Claude was an  _ Almyran. Prince. _

Hilda did her best not to let her aggravation show on her face, but it was a hard-fought feat. She was still reeling from the entire revelation, even with the meeting at a close.

Patiently, she waited by the doorway as Claude - or should she call him Khalid now? - wrapped up his conversation and joined her.

He beamed at her and offered her his arm, something he never did. He was up to something. Nonetheless, she took his arm and they began walking to their classroom.

“I have two requests, but I can understand if you say no to the first one. The second one is a matter of life and death, however, so I’ll be a bit more persistent,” he said.

“Why should I hear you out at all? You lied to me,” Hilda asked.

He chuckled. “I lied to everyone Hilda, but you are my best friend.”

“I don’t even know what name to use for you,” she said.

“Ah, it doesn’t really matter, I guess. I prefer Khalid, but I’m used to you calling me Claude so honestly it would probably be weird for me to hear you call me Khalid,” he said.

“Khalid it is. If I have to deal with a weird situation, so do you,” she declared, making him laugh. “What are your requests?”

He hummed. “Well, the first is could you please be discreet in who you tell about my identity? Lorenz will have a fit if he finds out and I’m rather focused on my cousin at the moment.”

“No way. I’m not lying to everyone. I’m not you,” Hilda said. “Besides, won’t your cousin and his delegation find it weird that no one knows?”

“I told him that I didn’t want to make border relations weird, so I kept my identity on the down low,” Khalid said with a shrug.

“But you just revealed your identity. People are going to learn, and it’ll be suspicious if they don’t. I guarantee you that the professor will find out, at the very least,” Hilda said.

Khalid sighed, tilting his head back. “I suppose you’re right. Fine, fine, tell whoever you want. I brought this on myself, I suppose.”

“What was your second request?” Hilda asked. They were about halfway to the classroom by this point.

At that Khalid grimaced. “I need you to not leave my side until the delegation leaves. Ever. Not even for sleep.”

“Woah, woah, woah, what?” Hilda asked, dragging her feet to force them to come to a stop. “Why on earth do you need that?”

Glancing around, Khalid checked for eavesdroppers, his voice low. “My cousin has tried to kill me in the past. I wouldn’t put it past him to try again, especially after I insisted on contacting my father about what he brought up in the meeting before we enact anything.”

“So you decided to trust a  _ Goneril _ with your safety. A  _ Goneril _ protecting an  _ Almyran,” _ Hilda deadpanned.

“They won’t expect it. Besides, if you harm me, you’d be declaring war on Almyra, and your brother would kill you for that,” he said.

“Are you  _ threatening _ me?” she asked, incredulous.

“Is it working?” he asked, smirking. “I meant what I said, though. You’re my best friend. I’ve trusted you with my life on the battlefield, Hilda. This isn’t how I expected things to go, but I trust you with it now.”

“Somehow, I doubt that’s true. You didn’t trust me with your identity until today,” Hilda said.

Khalid laughed. “Fair. If I’m being honest, it comes down to this - you’ve saved my life in battle before. Hatim has actively tried to kill me just for existing. It’s an easy choice to make on who to trust.”

“He’s your cousin, Cl- Khalid,” Hilda said.

“And I’m half-Fodlani  _ and _ blocking him from being heir to the throne,” Khalid said. “None of my extended family like that I’m not full Almyran. There have been threats on my life since I was three. I don’t trust him.”

Hilda groaned. “Fine, I’ll help you, but I’m telling everyone I see your real name.”

Khalid visibly brightened. “Fair deal. Thanks, Hils.”


	3. WHAT'S UP SLUTS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS

Hilda dragged Khalid into the Golden Deer classroom, loudly shouting “You are not going to  _ believe  _ what I learned about Claude,” and interrupting Byleth’s lecture.

“Hey, Teach, sorry we’re late,” Khalid said. “We had a meeting to attend to.”

“Quiet, you, I’m spilling your secrets,” Hilda scolded.

“What’s so important that you’re interrupting class?” Lysithea asked, rolling her eyes.

Despite Lysithea’s complaining, the others had perked up at the promise of gossip. Lorenz especially looked interested, which made sense because that boy was  _ obsessed _ with Claude. The only ones who looked like they wanted to go back to the lecture were Lysithea and Cyril, which made sense because they were very work-oriented.

“This idiot, our very own house leader, heir to the Reigan dukedom,” Hilda began, obnoxiously ruffling Khalid’s hair, “is actually the crown prince of Almyra.”

There was dead silence.

“What are you talking about?” Leonie asked.

“I met with an Almyran delegation this morning, alongside Lady Rhea, and this reckless fool comes barging in talking about seeing his cousin, and it turns out he was talking about the head of the delegation, who confirmed his identity,” Hilda said.

Cyril looked about ready to puke, while the others looked confused.

“My name is actually Khalid al Ghul,” Khalid said, awkwardness oozing off of him as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Claude is my Fodlani name.”

The classroom erupted in chaos as they all began shouting.


End file.
